I Promise Part 1
by SenoritaJessica
Summary: It is a Final Fantasy 8 story. It took place 1 to 2 years after the Ultimecia battle. This story is mainly about Squall and Rinoa. Lots of things have happened and changed since the battle. All the characters are back but things are slightly different. Ki


Damn it.  
More than a dozen shots were made in his way before he even reached the elevator. He had carelessly tripped over an alarm trap which resulted in the endless shots in every turn he took. He tried his best to duck and block those shots out. Upon clearance, he managed to escape all shots except one. It brushed mercilessly across his left arm. It was a half-miss but still tore through his black leather jacket and into his firm muscles, revealing raw flesh and drawing fresh blood. The young man cursed but his footsteps never slowed. He knew he had to be quick as armies of Galbadian soldier will be pouring in the building any minute from now.  
The elevator door slid open on the top floor. That was where all the most secretive experiments were kept and carried out. A long white corridor stretched out in front of him. It was lined with doors on both sides. He headed straight for the room at the end of the corridor. His right palm pressing firmly onto the throbbing wound as he moved as quietly and as quickly as possible. Although the wound was only a fierce graze of bullet, it certainly felt as bad as having one inside his arm. He could feel warm fluid spilling over his hand fast.  
The door did not barge under his solid boot when he swings a powerful kick on it. When it did not burst open upon his second try, he waved him good arm and cast a well-aimed Meltdown spell onto the doorknob. He could not be bothered with being quiet and traceless anymore. He was running out of time and he was certain he still wanted to live to see daylight tomorrow. If only he could succeed in this rescue mission, he corrected himself, because if he failed, he could gladly end his life there that night.  
He shoved the door open and spotted her in an enclosed glass capsule against the wall at the far end. Already, he could hear choppers and cars closing the distance to the building rapidly.  
"Sir, time to get the hell out of there." A voice came from his com unit.  
The young man only grunted in reply. He gave the capsule a perfect swing of his gunblade and sure enough, it shattered into pieces. He winced inwardly as the saw some bits and pieces of the glass fell onto the young lady and drew blood trickling down.  
"Time to pick you up, sir. They are inside the building."  
"Right, I'm on my way." He swung the unconscious lady over the good shoulder and began backing out the door he came in from. Footsteps closing in up the stairs at the other end of the corridor. He knew he was well surrounded by then. Turning to his left he saw lights twinkling outside the screen. He made a dash for the screen, broke through the hard glass with his sheer body force. He was on freefall for five seconds or so before hitting solid ground.  
"Got you, Commander. Skyroof closing and we're on our way home."  
  
"Commander Leonhart?"  
He felt like hell. His head was pounding, threatening to burst apart and his every inch of his body screamed in agony. He had felt worst but those times a few Curaga spells or Hi-potion would solve the problem. But this time was different. He did not know what injuries he suffered but they sure could not be cured with merely spells and potions.  
It took all the strength he had left to force his eyes open. They burnt under the bright fluorescent lights.  
"I'm here." He managed to groan.  
He could faintly make out the features of Dr. Kawadoki standing by his bedside. At least half-dozen nurses were buzzing in and out of the pure white room and obviously attending to him.  
"Good, you still know who you are. Anyway, here's an update of your condition. You got a slight head concussion but nothing to worry about. There is an ugly bullet abrasion to your left upper arm and many glass cuts over your body. An x-ray shows that there are two huge pieces stab in and stay inside your waist area. I need to start an operation immediately to remove those pieces or you'll be history, ok?" Kadowaki made everything sounded so simple and easy.  
Geez, that was so comforting.  
He shut his eyes and nodded weakly.  
"All right, everybody! Strip the Commander and roll him into the OR on the double!" Kadowaki shouted and exited the room.  
He could vividly feel his clothes being took off. The jacket was removed without much problem but his white muscle tee was too troublesome to be stripped off intact. He knew that they were going to cut it open and tore it away into the bin. He felt nimble hands unbuttoning and unzipping his pants, pulling them off smoothly. Gosh, he hated this. But his modesty was soon recovered as the nurses quickly pulled a dark green fabric sheet onto his naked figure.  
"Commander, this is anesthetist Fujin White. I'll be monitoring your state of consciousness. This jab should put you safely through the operation. But I'll be sticking around should anything happen, sir."  
This time, he did not even bother to open his eyes. He was going into anesthesia anyway. He simply nodded his consent. The problem with being a top-ranking Commander of Garden was evident here. Everything anyone did on him or to him has to be spelt out and carried out only with his consent. How he wished he was unconscious, then maybe they would treat him like any other patient not as a commander.  
He felt a slight prick on the back of his left hand. Within seconds, the noisy clinking of instruments, beeping of the monitoring systems and overlapping exchange of words faded beyond the darkness and finally vanished, leaving him in a tranquil state of calm and silence. 


End file.
